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Finding Your Place as a Transfer Student

Finding Your Place as a Transfer Student
2/12/2013
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Carly Gerber

Transfer students: Does your new school offer everything you want in your college experience or are you still having trouble adjusting to its unfamiliar environment? As a transfer student myself, I know it can take a while to determine your niche so here are a few easy ways to make your new school feel more like home.

My number one piece of advice for transfer students is to get involved with any club or organization that interests you. Shoot for one to three on-campus groups – this way, you’ll be able to meet people with similar interests and still have time for schoolwork and part-time employment. In addition to student government, the newspaper and intramural sports, some sororities and fraternities offer rush during spring semester so if Greek life interests you, go right ahead!

In that same vein, you want to choose activities that you’ll be proud to look back on and talk about during job interviews. (Yes, it’s time to think about where your future is headed – a little scary but we all feel the same way!) Consider visiting your school’s career center and exploring internship opportunities in your chosen field. An added bonus? Some can even be used toward college credit.

Lastly, become friendly with faculty you’ll see often. If you haven’t yet, introduce yourself to your professors before or after class – once they hear you are a transfer student, most will be interested in hearing why you switched schools and will be happy to help you adjust to new academic rigors. Professors and academic advisers are potential recommendation writers so be sure to make a good first impression!

I truly hope your new college or university is exactly what you have been looking for. It takes time to find your way but you’ll get there...trust me.

Carly Gerber is majoring in journalism at Columbia College Chicago. She loves fashion and hopes to cover the topic for a Chicago-area magazine. In her free time, she focuses on her blog, loves making jewelry and spending time on Pinterest and Pose. She hopes to use this blog to guide and relate to its followers: college students like herself!

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